Identified! TX - Weatherford, near I-20, WhtFem 35-55, 227UFTX, wig & glasses in purse, Sz 7 shoes, Oct'98 - Nellie Faye Gillespie

[heartanium]

Thank you very much for checking. They changed something on their website and maybe the archive doesn’t go back to the 90s? I used to find her when searching by date found, but now when I do that the date automatically changes to 10.31.2002. That’s frustrating.

I rechecked by date instead of case number and this came up for me, looks like her entry actually hasn't been removed?

 

[iulia]

I rechecked by date instead of case number and this came up for me, looks like her entry actually hasn't been removed?

View attachment 556929

Thank you for checking again. Looks like no change there, it looks the same as before. I wonder how often they update the records? I was keeping an eye on it as there hasn't been an announcement about either the Jane Doe or Nellie Gillespie, and I am losing hope that one will be made...

 

[iulia]

She was indeed Nellie Gillespie! Another @othram success!

https://weatherfordtx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23773/Cold-Case-News-Release?fbclid=IwY2xjawIqPUpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRdNYItN03cAaIj5kDjXB8axFnmX6oPtA0adoPJ2hTJ_AE8Qes06uDT4ZQ_aem_XT2MDDoVup32sUqptVYWzA

 

[SimsGuy67]

She was indeed Nellie Gillespie! Another @othram success!

https://weatherfordtx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23773/Cold-Case-News-Release?fbclid=IwY2xjawIqPUpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRdNYItN03cAaIj5kDjXB8axFnmX6oPtA0adoPJ2hTJ_AE8Qes06uDT4ZQ_aem_XT2MDDoVup32sUqptVYWzA

So it was Nellie after all. As soon as I saw the resemblance between the recon and how well the details lined up, I knew it had to be her. Probably one of the best clay recons I've ever seen.

Rest in peace, Nellie.

 

[iamshadow21]

So it was Nellie after all. As soon as I saw the resemblance between the recon and how well the details lined up, I knew it had to be her. Probably one of the best clay recons I've ever seen.

Rest in peace, Nellie.

Yeah, I really wasn't sure about that bust, but man, it looked just like that picture of her. Props to the sculptor.

Sleep well, Nellie.

MOO

 

[DS2021]

She was indeed Nellie Gillespie! Another @othram success!

https://weatherfordtx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23773/Cold-Case-News-Release?fbclid=IwY2xjawIqPUpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRdNYItN03cAaIj5kDjXB8axFnmX6oPtA0adoPJ2hTJ_AE8Qes06uDT4ZQ_aem_XT2MDDoVup32sUqptVYWzA

Press release


Weatherford Police Identify Woman Found in 1998, Bringing Closure to Family After 25 Years

For 25 years, she was a mystery. A woman without a name, a story left unfinished. On October 7, 1998, her body was discovered in a wooded area behind the Petro Truck Stop in Weatherford, Texas. With no identification and only limited evidence to go on, investigators worked tirelessly to uncover her identity, but the answers remained just out of reach.

At the scene, Weatherford Police officers were joined by Tarrant County Medical Investigator Kelly Green and Forensic Anthropologist Dana Austin. A firearm was found next to the woman in a position suggesting suicide, and after a thorough autopsy and investigation, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the cause of death. But while the case was closed, one question remained: Who was she?

Despite DNA being entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and countless leads being pursued, no match was ever found. Over the years, the case was revisited, but each effort led to another dead end-until September 2023.

That month, retired Deputy Chief Greg Lance asked Lieutenant Johnny Qualls to have the Cold Case team take one more look. Could modern technology finally provide the answers that had eluded investigators for decades?

After collaborating with Dr. Crowder at the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office, the team explored forensic genealogy, a method that had helped identify long-lost victims in other cases. They turned to Othram Labs in The Woodlands, Texas, a company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy.

A small but crucial breakthrough came when investigators found that some of the woman's teeth remained intact. These were sent to Othram Labs for DNA extraction, and in December 2023, the lab was able to develop a profile. It was a moment of hope. Through careful research, ancestry links began to emerge, guiding investigators toward a family-and a long-awaited answer.

Then, on Christmas weekend 2023, Lieutenant Qualls made a life-changing phone call. On the other end of the line was David Gillespie, a man who had spent more than 25 years wondering what had happened to his mother, Nellie.

David had reported her missing all those years ago, but until now, he had never received the answers he desperately sought. As he described her a woman who wore glasses and a wig-Lieutenant Qualls felt certain: Nellie was the woman they had been searching for all these years.

Though the circumstances of Nellie's passing were tragic, this breakthrough meant her family could finally bring her home. The original responding Medical Investigator, Judge Kelly Green, helped locate Nellie's burial site, ensuring her remains could be reunited with her loved ones at last.

This identification would not have been possible without the dedication of so many individuals and organizations. We extend our deepest gratitude to retired Deputy Chief Greg Lance, the Weatherford Police and Fire Foundation, Judge Kelly Green, Dr. Crowder and the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office, and the team at Othram Labs. Most importantly, we thank David Gillespie and his family for their courage in sharing their story and helping us close this case with dignity and love.

After 25 years, Nellie is no longer a mystery. She has a name. She has a story. And most importantly, she is finally home

 

[lightofmine99]

This might classify as the greatest clay reconstruction in history.

Archive of her Doe Network page:
227UFTX (ARCHIVE)

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Chiming in to agree with what others have said - her recon is astoundingly accurate.

 

[dotr]

After 25 years, Weatherford Jane Doe (1998) is identified

Weatherford Police Department and Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office Team With Othram to Identify a 1998 Jane Doe

dnasolves.com

"The follow-up investigation led investigators to potential relatives of the woman. A reference DNA sample from a possible relative was compared to the DNA profile of the unknown woman leading to the positive identification of the woman, who is now known to be Nellie Faye Gillespie. She was last seen in Jackson, Mississippi on August 15, 1998. She had called her son informing him she was planning on going to Arizona but was never heard from again.

The identification of Nellie Gillespie is the 18th case in Texas where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Visit DNASolves to learn about other Texas cases.''

 

[MadMcGoo]

Rest peacefully now Nellie.

 

[DS2021]

This might classify as the greatest clay reconstruction in history

Does anyone know the name of the artist who made this reconstruction? I want to see if they have done any others

 

[Caring1]

Does anyone know the name of the artist who made this reconstruction? I want to see if they have done any others

There is a post early on #67, page 4 in this thread that has an article mentioning Suzanne Baldon as the forensic artist.

https://www.mclennan.edu/criminal-justice/docs/Suzanne-Baldon-CV-Fall-2021.pdf

 

[phantomstrider]

View attachment 566394
Chiming in to agree with what others have said - her recon is astoundingly accurate.

Her Recon was very accurate. I knew after seeing the recon that there was a high chance of the doe being Nellie. May she rest in piece.

 

[ttjo]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

This woman's MP case was added to NAMUS today and features a photo of Jane Doe as well. Maybe loved ones think its her?View attachment 472210
View attachment 472213
Definite resemblance, IMO.

wow thats a very accurate sculpture! Did they do that from a picture? That is about as close as it gets.

 

[iamshadow21]

wow thats a very accurate sculpture! Did they do that from a picture? That is about as close as it gets.

Forensic artists work from the skull and post mortem photographs.

MOO

 

[ttjo]

Forensic artists work from the skull and post mortem photographs.

MOO

Thats amazing, they did a very good job.

 

[HmmMysterious]

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There's a comment from Nellie's son, David Gillespie:

"Weatherford Police Department, Texas As the only child (son) to Nellie Faye (Redd) Gillespie, and on behalf of both my immediate and extended family, including my mother’s two brothers and their families, as well as her parents, words cannot fully express our gratitude to Weatherford PD, Lieutenant Johnny Qualls, and the many individuals and organizations who have worked tirelessly over the years and decades to bring closure to our family. I look forward to personally thanking each of you and every organization involved whose efforts have made this long-awaited resolution and day possible. My final prayer is that other families still seeking answers may also be blessed with the same closure our family is now able to realize. God Bless you all. - David"